14 DAY TRIAL // Another week has passed and things are getting more interesting as we get closer to the official launch day of the brand new Windows 8.
On Monday, Microsoft mistakenly asked Google to ban Wikipedia, CNN and other legitimate websites in a complaint that was aimed at pages hosting illegal content. During the same day, the Redmond-based devices and services company started delivering Windows 8 app updates, while an online retailer broke the embargo and started selling Windows 8 PCs.
On Tuesday, the whole Microsoft community celebrated “Patch Tuesday,” so all Redmondians had their party hats on for a new pack of updates targeting both Office and Windows. In addition, Microsoft released a major Windows 8 update ahead of this new product’s public debut. Steve Ballmer told everyone on Wednesday that Windows 8 is a perfect, beautiful and functional operating system, despite the fact that his bonus was trimmed to “only” $620,000 (€481,000). Also on Wednesday, the Windows 8 retail package officially landed on Amazon, while Bill Gates confirmed once again that he didn’t plan to get back the Microsoft CEO chair.
News revealing that Microsoft’s map service disclosed CIA’ secret Osama bin Laden training facility emerged on Thursday, while later that day Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt poked fun at Microsoft, claiming that the Redmond-based technology company isn’t part of his “Gang of Four.”
Microsoft officially pushed the brand new Office 2013 to RTM stage on Friday, while a software company told the world that Windows 8 has a major security flaw because it stores passwords in plain text.
A few hours later, the software giant announced pricing for the upcoming Windows 8 OS and rolled out the preorder program at select stores across the United States.
Don’t forget that we also disclosed some very interesting Windows 8 secrets this week, including the revised Control Panel and all interface customization options offered by Microsoft.